The ‘Men at Work’ sign has been scrapped in a watershed moment! At Stocksigns we are replacing the word ‘Men’ with ‘Workers’ for 2020/21.
We are hoping that the updated signs will help to raise awareness and consciousness that men and women are both very much included in the construction industry.
Women In Construction
Most people know that Waterloo Bridge has the finest views of London at ground level, but what a lot of people don’t know is that it is also nicknamed the ‘Ladies Bridge’. Why?
Waterloo Bridge needed to be rebuilt during WWll, because most men of fighting age were away with the war effort, which meant that they were in short supply. Women to the rescue! Women got the chance to prove that they are every bit as capable as men and Waterloo Bridge was predominately rebuilt by women.
After digging around on the internet, I found some wonderful photos of women in action rebuilding Waterloo Bridge.
Waterloo Bridge was constructed by around 350 women during WWll. Millions of people walk across London Bridge (Thousands daily) but I wonder how many know the huge role women played in building the bridge?
Thanks to a historian for remembering and reminding us of the women’s role in the construction of the bridge, which has now been officially recognised.
Waterloo Bridge AKA The Ladies Bridge.
For more information about this historic topic, you can click here.
It just goes to show that women have been involved in critical construction for a long time!
With WWll in mind fast forward to 2020, women working in construction is on the increase! According to ‘Go Construct’ women make up around 14% of construction industryprofessionals and this number can only be set to rise with more and more women choosing construction jobs.
Misconceptions about gender-specific roles are gradually diminishing with the growing number of women choosing a career in construction.
Last year some of us were fortunate enough to meet Katie Kelleher, a crane operator who has worked on some of the biggest infrastructure projects in London, at the Kent Construction Expo our Andy even got a picture with her, he is quite the fan! Katie had been named in the top 15 ones to watch in the Construction News 2019 for her support to get more young women into the industry through apprenticeships.
With new laws regarding fire safety in consultation this year, it’s very important now more than ever to ensure your safety signage is clear and consistent around your premises.
If you are in any way responsible for a business or commercial property, you must display the required signage to ensure employees and/or customers are safe and meet safety standards, as well as:
Carry out a fire risk assessment of the premises and review it regularly
Tell staff or their representatives about the risks you’ve identified
Put in place, and maintain, appropriate fire safety measures
Plan for an emergency
Provide staff information, fire safety instruction and training
One of the best ways to make sure that your signs are clear in all conditions, is to opt for photoluminescent. Photoluminescent signs will self-charge in ambient light, meaning that if there is a power failure or conditions mean visibility is poor, these signs will illuminate, creating a clear guide to the nearest exit in an emergency, as well as any extinguishers, alarms and more.
As well as clear and concise signage, ensuring that employees are aware of the correct procedures and locations of aid in the event of a fire is incredibly important. Fire notice boards and action notices can be a huge help with this, as well as fire assembly point indicators. These can all contribute to minimising panic during a fire and maintaining an organised and calm manor which is vital during an emergency.
To read a great article about the laws and legislations of fire safety signage and what each sign means, click here.
At Stocksigns, we can provide a comprehensive range of fire safety signs, notices and packs – and all can be printed on photoluminescent material. Check out our range here.
In 2018/19 there were 15,005 commercial fire incidents in England.
It’s no secret that any workplace, especially ones where workers are operating machinery, working at a height, and tackling extreme weather conditions, can present safety concerns. Particularly, working on a quarry can be incredibly dangerous, and potential risks need to be spotted and averted. Below are some of the most common causes of accidents within the quarry industry. It’s important to remember that awareness of potential risks can prevent injury, and save lives.
1. Slips & Trips on the Same Level
An article from HSE shows that there are three key aspects in preventing trips and slips:
Suitable Walkways
Design & Maintenance
Housekeeping
It’s incredibly important to identify areas of walkways which may create issues. Whether it’s loose surface, wet floor, or an obstruction, workers need to be made aware with clear and concise messages. See below the range of signs that you can use to create a safer environment for workers. For example, temporary signs can be used for rain or ice in a walkway, whereas permanent signs can be used for loose surfaces or poor lighting.
Stocksigns offer a wide range of slip hazard signs to help make workers more aware of potential danger and improve quarry safety.
2. Falls from a Height
17% of all serious injuries and fatalities in the quarry/aggregate industry occur as a result of falling from a height. There are many causes of this, but the most prominent ones are workers climbing onto loaded vehicles and inspecting silos. It is strongly recommended by MPA that clear signage is placed at the entrance to any site (and within site) to advise against climbing onto high ledges such as loaded vehicles and improve quarry safety.
Signage can also help to ensure workers are wearing appropriate clothing for working at height. Site safety signs can advise workers to wear helmets, safety footwear and even harnesses if necessary. This should help to ensure everyone onsite complies with safe practices when working in dangerous areas and minimise falls.
Stocksigns can provide a number of various site safety and height hazard signs to suit the needs of quarry workers.
To browse our selection of height hazard signs, visit our “Scaffolding Signs” section.
3. Falling/moving Objects
Falling or moving objects cause 31% of the serious injuries and fatalities that occur within the quarry industry. Often this is due to workers not wearing the correct PPE such as safety helmets, or the site not having protective netting/overhead protection. Making workers aware of such risks will encourage the proper use of safety equipment, preventing major accidents in the workplace.
It’s also very important that any pedestrian areas are inaccessible if there is any risk of falling debris. Signage can be used to mark areas that shouldn’t be accessed by the general public, alongside barriers to ensure quarry safety.
Injury caused by contact with moving machinery is often due to failure to isolate all sources of energy correctly. Risk assessments and worker education help to greatly reduce incidents onsite – as machinery operators will know the exact procedures to follow in the event of potential danger.
In dangerous situations, it is vital that workers keep calm and follow instructions to prevent further risks. Signage can help drastically with this, if areas with machinery are clearly marked, and state the procedures concisely.
Incidents within the industry have shown that a push on guidance and education can greatly improve quarry safety within all areas, with moving machinery being no exception. In fact, with machinery being one of the more complex aspects of quarry work, it’s one of the most important parts.
To view Stocksigns’ collection of machinery warning signs, visit our “Machinery Hazard Signs” section.
5. Workplace Transport
Workplace transport poses a risk to not only site workers, but also pedestrians, as every year pedestrians can be seriously injured or even killed by vehicles on a mineral products site.
The importance of correct signage on these sites is huge, to both allow the work to be done properly and prevent harm to a worker or pedestrian. Stocksigns offer a wide range of vehicular hazard signage to warn people of the potential risks both onsite and off.
A risk assessment and corresponding safety measures are simple to carry out, and yet have a great impact on site safety. A clear outline of areas where pedestrians should not enter, and hazard signs stating the potential risks are vital.
To browse our selection of safety signs for building site vehicles, visit our “Vehicle Warning Signs” section.
Statistics published by the National Water Safety Forum showed that across the UK in 2017, there were 255 people who lost their lives in accidental drownings. Many of these accidents could have been avoided with adequate precautions and safety measures.
As it is National Drowning Prevention Week (15-25th June 2018), we are reminded how important it is to educate children and adults of the dangers of water, as well as highlighting the need for drowning prevention initiatives.
To lower the number of drownings, signs can be used to inform people of the dangers present in and around the water they are interacting with. These dangers can include very cold temperatures, hidden currents, pollution and the inability to judge depth, as well as informing what the emergency procedures are.
Because water hazards are not just confined to the beaches and coastline, our range includes a variety of signs that can be used many environments such as swimming pools, beaches, quarries, rivers, reservoirs and lakes. We can also create bespoke signs to ensure you can communicate exactly what you need to safe-guard everyone on your site.
In a world governed by Health & Safety regulations it has never been so important to ensure you have the correct signage. Signage is the main way of communicating Health & Safety information to make sure that people understand the risks around them.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reported that between 1st April 2015 – 31st March 2016 144 workers in the UK were killed while in the workplace. This shocking statistic highlights how having the correct signage is crucial in advising people of risks that cannot be controlled or avoided to help prevent accidents.
In November last year the HSE released their annual report about work related injuries and illness, they found the following statistics:
3 million people suffer from a work related illness
Over 621,000 work related injuries
2,515 people died
Despite these alarming figures there has been a downward trend of fatal work related injuries. This is partly due to the safety signs directive being adopted by all European Union member states in 1992. The Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals Regulations) act then adopted these changes in 1996 which required employers to display safety signs to highlight risks that cannot be controlled or avoided.
The Safety Signs and Signals Regulations has had a huge impact in keeping workers and members of the public safe. Since its introduction there has been a 50% reduction in the number of fatal injuries.
As well as this impact on fatalities there is also a link between the introduction of safety signage and a decrease in the number of reported accidents. Keeping people safe begins with alerting them to hazards and dangers around them with easy to understand signage.
We offer a huge range of signs suitable for all situations and environments. Our experienced sales team are on hand to offer expert advice to ensure your signage is fully compliant with current ISO 7010 legislation. Call us now on 01737 774077 or send an email with your enquiry.
It is crucial for employers to display up to date compliant signage. Consequences for the use of non compliant signage range from hefty fines up to prison sentences. More importantly however is injury or loss of life that could occur as a result of incorrect or missing signage.
We have recently celebrated 8 years of working in partnership with RoSPA (The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) as their recommended signage supplier. We are proud to work alongside them and promote their vital work in keeping people safe through accident prevention. Find out more information about this here.
Choosing your fire signage can be a daunting task. What exactly do you need? Where do you have to install them? Will you be compliant with BS EN ISO 7010? What happens if you get it wrong?
In the UK between 2010 and 2014, there were 97,500 fires in commercial premises, with 1,881 fatalities over the same period. It is essential to have clearly marked routes to exits and fire fighting equipment as this will help to limit the risk of loss of life.
Where do you place fire exit signs on the escape route?
The first step to determining your escape route is to find your primary escape route. This should be the shortest and quickest route out of the building from any given location. It is also essential to plan a secondary escape route, in the event of a fire makes the primary route impassable.
Determining the signage for your fire escape route is confusing, however, it can be simplified with a few simple guidelines;
Within your building, an escape sign should always be visible
Once past the first fire escape sign, the next escape sign along the route must be clearly seen
Further signage is required at every change of direction along the escape route
A fire exit sign must be above all final fire exit doors
Ensure there are no conflicting signs along the route e.g. 2 arrow up signs back to back.
Fire Exit signs and where to use them?
Fire exit signs with left and right arrows:
Fire exit signs with left and right arrows are self-explanatory. If you see an arrow pointing to the left, what that is essentially saying is that you should “Progress to the left”. If you see an arrow pointing to the right, it is telling you that you should “Progress to the right”.
Where some of the confusion starts to come in around fire safety signs, is with the up and the down arrow.
Fire exit signs with up arrows:
Fire Exit Arrow Up is to be used when you have to continue along your route, towards another fire exit sign. It can also be used for final exits. The only exception to this is if there is a step-down or ramp immediately outside.
Fire exist signs with down arrows:
Fire Exit Arrow Down signs are to be used when you have to continue along your route, towards another fire exit sign. If after an exit sign there is a staircase leading down immediately after your sign, then a down arrow is required.
Are fire exit signs displayed on each fire exit door?
According to the UK Building Regulation requirements, an exit sign should be placed on every doorway, escape window or other routes which provides an exit to a fire.
What size fire exit sign do I need?
One of the most important things to consider when ordering a fire exit sign is the size. The size that you need is based on the maximum distance that the size needs to be viewed from.
Below is a guide to the sizes that you will need based on the distance in meters.
300mm x 100mm KD – Viewing distance up to 10 meters
450mm x 150mm NF – Viewing distance up to 15 meters
600mm x 200mm RG – Viewing distance up to 20 meters
1200mm x 400mm – Viewing distance up to 40 meters
For illuminated signs the viewing distance doubles
When does photoluminescent help with fire signage?
Photoluminescent signs provide additional reliability. In the event of a power failure, they offer a constant source of illumination and invaluable guidance.
Fire safety sign regulations in the UK
All business premises need to have a minimum 2-3 fire safety signs. Training or having common sense is not acceptable for fire safety if an emergency were to occur. For example, if your premises frequently has visitors arrive, then it’s unlikely they’ll be sufficiently prepared if a fire breaks out, which is why visible signage is important for guiding people to safety.
If you’re responsible for commercial premises, you might already know that you need fire safety signs. But it can be tricky to work out which ones you need and where to put them.
There are two main pieces of fire safety legislation for fire safety signs:
The HSR describes the correct types, applications and maintenance of fire signage, and the RRFSO provides assessment guidance and precautions to deal with any risk.
The HSR states that the number of signs required and their positioning depends on the types of hazards or dangers on the premises.
The RRFSO instructs all businesses with premises to appoint a responsible person who can remain accountable for fire safety. One of the main duties is to undergo regular assessments to examine the business’s fire safety risks and hazards. Once these have been identified, the assessor must take action to ensure that risks are minimised, such as installing fire safety equipment, adding or replacing signage and even making changes to the layout of the premises to ensure it meets safety standards.
So what do you need? There are 4 main applications of fire safety signs in the UK:
A ‘fire Action Notice’ explaining what to do in case of fire
Safety signs marketing fire exit routes, doors, and assembly points
Safety signs showing where fire-fighting equipment is located
Warning and Prohibition signs such as ‘Danger’ or ‘No Smoking
What are the different types of fire safety procedure signs?
Type of sign
Meaning/Purpose
Requirements
Example
Fire Action Sign
A list of instructions to guide anyone inside a building if they discover a fire or need to evacuate the building.
All commercial premises must display a Fire Action Note. It’s recommended that you display this sign next to every fire alarm call point and at every final exit door.
Fire Equipment Signs
Information with an extinguisher ID to show people what the fire extinguisher is suitable for. These include: Class A fires: carbonaceous materials, Class B fires: flammable liquids, Class C fires: burning metals, electrical fires, Class F fires: cooking oils and fats.
Premises that keep fire fighting equipment must have adequate fire equipment signs in place near the equipment. There should be a fire extinguisher ID to show people what the fire extinguisher is suitable for.
Fire Exit and Door Signs
These signs guide people on evacuating a building safely and show which safety measures to take.
Non-domestic properties and multi-occupancy residential buildings are required to have fire exit and door signs.
Warning and Prohibition Signs
Warning signs let people know there is a fire risk nearby, prohibition signs display preventative actions to maximise fire safety.
You need a fire warning sign when flammable substances are on the premises, such as gas or oil. Prohibition signs are required when actions could a fire, such as smoking.
Making sure that you have these clearly marked out is key to making sure that your building is as safe as possible for everyone inside.
If you have a large complex project and require any additional information, our expert site survey team are happy to visit your premises to help.
Our sales team can be contacted on 01737 774072 for free advice, or alternatively, you can email.
Whether you manage a pay & display car park, a customer, employee or visitor car park there are a number of areas you have to consider. Using our experience of working with customers we’ve pulled together some handy tips so you get it right first time
1) Directions
You need to consider wayfinding in your car park under all elements including rain and darkness. Often directions on the ground can easily be missed under these circumstances as drivers have so much to concentrate on. Therefore it is important to include directional and informative signage at the height for drivers to easily see where they need to be going.
2) Disabled / parent and child bays
It is likely that you will have disabled parking and potentially parent and child parking, it is important to ensure these are clearly marked. It will help to reduce the number of drivers utilising these spaces.
3) Speed Limits
Car parks are dangerous places with pedestrians and drivers all in the same place, meaning they need to be managed appropriately. It is important to encourage drivers to drive at a safe speed, our speed limit signs are a cheaper alternative to road signs, as your car park signage doesn’t need to comply with highway specifications.
4) Advertising
Signs do not have to be just about information and penalties, they are also a great opportunity to advertise your brand. Simply including your logo on wayfinding signage is essentially free advertising. Stocksigns can adapt any of our standard signs to suit your requirements.
5) Security
In 2014 over 69,000 cars were stolen in the UK, and is a constant concern for many drivers. Even if you are not liable for the loss or damage of vehicles in your car park, you want users of your car park to feel that their vehicle is secure. Whether you have CCTV or not, CCTV and security signage can go a long way to put car park users at ease and deter criminals.
6) Car Park Information
It is a legal requirement to display your opening times and charges, our team of experts can advise on these bespoke signs.While not legally required it’s important to ensure that your car park’s entrance is easily identifiable so you don’t miss out on revenue.
Hopefully our 6 points will help you to audit or plan your car park, if you do have any questions about your signage requirements call our team of
experts on 01737 774 072.
To help you keep your car park safe we’re offering 20% off the list price of all standard traffic signs until 22nd July 2016. to take advantage of this special offer quote BLOG625
Lauren Sutton,
Sales Assistant Manager
Terms & conditions: Use code BLOG625 at the online checkout or over the phone. Discounts only available on list price standard items within out traffic and car parks range until 22nd July 2016. not valid in conjunction with any other offer and only valid once.
Safety organisations are becoming increasingly concerned about those who risk their lives by trespassing in both active and disused quarries. In 2014 alone, there were six fatalities involving members of the public at former quarry sites, all of which were water related.
After these incidents, all too often, their friends and family believe that the victims were not made aware of the risks they were exposing themselves to, and that they thought they were engaged in a harmless bit of fun.
Therefore, it is vital to have large, clear signage in order to not only to deter trespassers, but to also warn of hazardous areas and materials. To deter trespasses and limit liability, signs must be compliant with the latest regulations. They must be visible, clean, clear and concise to be effective.
Stocksigns provides a combination of friendly knowledgeable staff, durable, clear signage and fast delivery to help you keep your site safe and complaint.
We can help you to highlight the dangers present in quarries that may not be evident to visitors, especially those who are on your premises without permission or when the site may be closed. This can include:
Deep lakes, very cold and with hidden currents – even the strongest swimmers have drowned due to the impact that extreme cold has had on their bodies.
Stockpiles of sand have been known to collapse and suffocate people whilst tunnelling or digging holes.
Quarry faces have loose rocks and boulders.
Machinery and other obstacles can seriously injure people riding mountain or trial bikes.
We can offer a range of different signage solutions to suit your needs such as:
Keep your site safe, call us today on 01737 774072 or send an email enquiry to our experienced sales team.
As an employer, you are under an obligation to plan for emergencies in order to comply with industry legislation. This should always include giving training to staff and providing information on fire evacuation and escape plans.
Your evacuation and escape plans must provide clear instructions on the location of all fire escape routes, safety instructions, evacuation equipment and extinguishers in order to keep your employees informed in any emergency.
Your strategy should be clearly displayed in prominent positions around the workplace and also in public areas and compliment your existing evacuation strategy. Additionally, your fire evacuation plan will address the specific needs of your property and its occupants.
Stocksigns can ensure your strategy is bought to life by using the highest quality digital print methods on to a range of materials, including acrylic, rigid plastic and foamex. All we require are the plans you need printing to bring your design to life. Additionally, think about how you would display your plans as we also provide a variety of snap frames.
As well as a Fire Evacuation Plan you are legally required to clearly sign your primary escape route. Understanding what fire signage you require can be a confusing task. Read our blog which gives straight forward advice about which signs to use to ensure you are compliant with current BS EN 150 7010 legislation.
To discuss your Fire Evacuation Plan with our experienced sales team contact us on 01737 774072 or send us an email.
At Stocksigns we supply Braille signs to make buildings safe for all visually impaired people. This range includes fire safety, prohibition and information signage, all of which are available in photoluminescent.
As part of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), service providers must ensure that access is available to all disabled people and that entry routes, facilities and all information are clearly defined and indicated by suitable signage.
Our signs use an innovative and visually superior tactile signage system. It is capable of conveying fast, effective information to alert the visually impaired. Our signage uses:
Wide space, raised supplementary text
Highly durable and accurate grade 1 braille
Braille locator
Low gloss surface with a high contrast colour range
All safety symbols conform to BS EN ISO 7010
To discuss your braille requirements call a member of our experienced sales team now on 01737 774072. Alternatively you can send us an email:
Our customers frequently ask us what information they need to give when looking into their signage needs. To help we have put together an infographic showing all of the considerations to take into account when placing your order.
If you require any assistance or would like some advice please call a member of our experiences sales team on 01737 772072 or send us an email.
More than 66% of UK takeaways are breaking the law by failing to label any potential allergens that the food they serve contains.
An investigation by the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) found that these restaurants neglected to provide the legally-required food allergy information in the 14 major allergens in their food, with fried chicken, pizza, Chinese and fish and chip shops being the worst offenders.
Legislation, which came into effect at the end of 2014, states that all food providers have to now display clearly whether their food contain any of the 14 major allergens, such as nuts, fish and eggs.
As part of its campaign, the RSPH is calling for allergy competency awards to be displayed alongside food hygiene ratings, where good practice is conducted. Additionally, it also wants businesses to ensure their staff are properly trained to manage the risks from allergens.
Since legislation was introduced last year, Stocksigns has produced a number of allergen signs and information posters for the food and catering industry to enable outlets to be compliant and clearly show all allergens present in food.
The full range is available to buy now in our catering signs section; alternatively, contact the Stocksigns team for more information on 01737 77 40 72 or sales@stocksigns.co.uk.
Visitors to the RoSPA stand at the Safety & Health Expo this week would have been able to preview a collection of British safety posters in a new publication being released next month.
Safety First, by Dr Paul Rennie from Central St Martins College of Art and Design, features vintage RoSPA posters from between the 1930s and 1970s aiming to provide awareness about occupational, road, leisure and home safety.
Scores of this vintage artwork was discovered when a warehouse was being cleared in Birmingham earlier in the year, many of them featuring Tufty the Squirrel, and highlighting the safety concerns of previous generations.
As the preferred supplier of current safety and awareness posters for RoSPA, all here at Stocksigns are particularly intrigued to see the evolution of these posters from the hand drawn graphics during the war to the post-war images driving awareness on the road and in the workplace.
Although the overall message has not changed in many of the posters, changes in legislation have to be reflected in design and wording, meaning that current posters still have the same scope and longevity when conveying safety awareness.
Safety First will be published on June 18, priced £16.99, and it will be available from all good bookshops and www.saraband.net.
RoSPA safety posters can be purchased online by visiting our safety signs shop. Alternatively, you can contact the team directly on 01737 77 40 72.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xo0IX2Lxmk
Every non domestic premise in the UK is governed by safety legislation and as such will have a need for safety signs. Safety signage is a cost effective and efficient way to warn and educate people to the particular risks associated with a building. While there are some signs, such as fire signs, which will be common to all buildings, there are many others which will only be relevant in certain situations. The way to determine the signs needed should be by way of a full risk assessment and perhaps a sign site survey.
Below we have put together our top 10 list of the typical signs likely to be found in businesses and public buildings, but please bear in mind that every building has different requirements and signage should be judged on individual risk assessments.
For anyone employed, the UK Health and Safety Law Poster must be provided to each worker as a copy of the approved leaflet or equivalent pocket card. The poster must be displayed in a location where it’s visible to workers. On the design of the poster, British health and safety laws are outlined with a list telling workers what employers must do, what employee’s must do and instructions on what to do if there’s a problem.
The Fire Action Notice is to make sure that anyone who is situated in a building has enough information to know what to do if a fire emerges or if they need to evacuate the building. Information that’s typically on these signs include:
The fire services phone number
The exit use to leave the building
Assembly point locations
Further instructions specific to the building
There are several Fire Action Signs, so it’s necessary to choose the one that is relevant to your premises. If you are responsible for a commercial premises, you must display a Fire Action Notice. It’s best practice to display one next to each Fire Alarm call-point and every final exit door.
Fire Equipment Signs contain a description for the type of fire extinguisher that’s available and it’s uses. These can be found in different colours, with the most common being red and green. The sign also details what the fire extinguisher can/cannot be used for. This is provide better safety and reduce inappropriate usage. It’s a legal requirement to make sure all fire equipment is easy to access, easy to use with the right instructions in place.
First Aid Signs are necessary to locate and instruct people where first aid equipment is in a building. They sometimes offer further instructions, such as who the first-aider is and instructions for people with disabilities. It’s a legal requirement that anyone responsible for a premises has enough first aid in place to ensure that people are as safe as possible. These signs and procedures should conform to BS 5499.
No Smoking Signs are there to inform people that smoking is not permitted because it may pose a fire risk or potential hazard. These signs are a mandatory instruction, meaning that they should be followed at all times. No smoking signs are located in areas where fire risks are identified, so it’s necessary to install prohibition signs to ensure that safety measures are in place. July 2007 saw a total smoking ban in all enclosed public places, work places and certain vehicles in the UK. The smoke free legislation means it is an offence not to display the appropriate No Smoking Signs, resulting in fines up to £1000.
Slip, Trip & Fall signs are a legal requirement anywhere a slippery area is not cordoned off. These signs are to help workers and visitors stay safe and reduce the chances of accidents. Most premises will have routine cleaning operations which may leave areas vulnerable, which is why these signs are essential to have in place. Lightweight stands holding double-sided signs are readily available.
Most buildings will have localized hazards, the most common of which are trip hazards and low-hanging obstacles. These signs need to be put in place to advise people to be more cautious when in these areas. Trips are the most common cause of injury, which could be avoIded with a ’Mind The Step’ sign.
Many workplaces involve some form of contact with hazardous substances, such as painting, hair and beauty salons and medical professions. The types of risks for each industry varies, but it’s important to understand every hazard symbol and the dangerous related to the substances. There are nine hazard symbols commonly used, which are explosive, flammable, oxidising, corrosive, acute toxicity, hazardous to the environment, health hazard, serious health hazard and gas under pressure. So if you’re responsible for a workplace that deals with substances, it’s a legal requirement that you complete regular risk assessments and ensure that the correct signage is in place.
Most premises have kitchen or catering facilities. So it’s important to have the appropriate signage in place to minimise risks for burns and also hygiene and food safety. If your workplace prepares and serves food, you need to ensure compliance with The Food Standards Agency (FSA) by having the appropriate signage in place. So whether you have a small kitchen for your staff, or a large, well equipped kitchen for your restaurant, we have your signage covered.
Well the New Year is here, and it’s time to burn off that extra mince pie, so what better way to do that than by giving your premises a safety once over this week. So here is a timely reminder of why you should give your facilities a safety sign MOT.
Time for a safety signs MOT?
As the New Year comes upon us our thoughts often turn to personal improvements we intend to make over the coming year, but one much over looked resolution is the implementation of a regular safety sign audit.
Julian Rowlandson, Director at Stocksigns explains: “If you own a car it is most probable that you obtain and MOT and carry out a routine service to keep your vehicle fully functional and compliant. But few companies, despite their legal obligations to do so, regularly revisit their fire and other mandatory signage. How often does one hear of tragedy caused by fire exit routes not being clear and available for use? Often these oversights maybe associated with changes within business operations and a failure to update signs and safe routes of escape to embrace these operational changes.”
Failing to update your signage as your business changes, could lead to extensive fines or have more serious consequences including prison sentences, personal injuries or even loss of life. These simple inexpensive precautions could help protect your business, staff and visitors.
Read our “Safety Signs Audit” article to learn how to walk your premises and carry our a safety sign audit (you may even burn some calories too)
To accompany our post about understanding fire exit signs we have put together this short tutorial on fire exit signs their meanings and where to position them.
For larger projects or new builds you may wish to organise a site survey. If you would like further advice please call our Sales Team on 01737 774072 or send us an email.
One of the most common mistakes we see with the positioning of fire exit signs is the sign above a doorway. The sign that should be used in most instances should be the arrow up, indicating progress forward from here (indicating direction of travel), and in the case of above a door means, progress forward and through from here.
However we commonly see the incorrect fire exit sign with down arrow. While this wrong sign is unlikely to cause too much confusion as to which way someone should go it is technically incorrect. The down arrow fire exit sign means progress down from here, and technically would only be positioned above a door if there was a change of level downwards immediately after the door way.
Stocksigns has introduced a new range of electronic cigarettes signs. While the debate rages on about whether electronic cigarettes will save lives or lead to non-smokers becoming potential smokers, one thing is for sure they are here to stay (for the time being anyway, although The World Health Organisation, is campaigning to have the use of electronic cigarettes outlawed in public places).
Current no smoking legislation does not cover electronic cigarettes and it is at present up to individual companies to decide on their own policies. During this transition period, and while legislation catches up, we are now offering a range of electronic cigarettes signs. Four new electronic cigarettes signs have been created allowing different combinations of regular no smoking and electronic cigarette permissions. These signs are now available from our web shop, or you can call our Sales Team on 01737 77 40 72 for more details.
Fire action notices can contain several texts which are in common use but may not be appropriate for all circumstances but there are certain messages that should be included. There are four significant areas that need to be addressed.
1. Raising the Alarm.
This should advise of the most appropriate method of action whether this be by operating the nearest fire alarm call point, calling 999, verbally or by any other alarm procedure used in there evacuation procedure.
2. Fire Brigade.
The fire brigade is often called automatically through the alarm system, however it may be necessary to call the fire brigade manually. Your Fire Action notice may also give additional information which you would be required to pass on to the operator, such as telephone number and exact location details.
3. Assembly Point
A blank space is provided for details of the nearest assembly point. An assembly point is usually a static safe area marked with the appropriate signage. For premises that have no clear area to use as a regular assembly point mobile extendable fire assembly point signs can be used to guide occupants to the designated safe area.
4. Additional Instruction
It is customary to include further instructions such as “do not stop to collect personal belongings” or “ do not return to the building for any reason until authorised to do so”.
More specific information can be included for example there can be precise instructions in buildings which have lifts, or for houses that have multiple occupancy.
Where should you display your fire action notices?
Best practice suggests fire action notices should be displayed next to every fire alarm call point and next to the final fire exits. This gives the relevant information at a glance to the person raising the alarm and any further action that maybe required.
There are two distinct styles of fire action notice, one the traditional blue and red sign with written instructions and the other incorporating graphic symbols in line with BS EN ISO 7010. Both of which meet current legislation however the graphic symbol version is growing in popularity due to the effectiveness of relaying information quickly through symbols which would be critical in an evacuation situation.
Please read our post “Where to Position Fire Signs” for more information and advice on where to display fire safety signs for maximum visibility.
Safety is a hot topic in most businesses regardless of industry sector. Safety signs or warning signs are helpful in indicating various hazards ahead. These signs also help in reducing accidents at a given workplace.
These safety signs may consists of words with safety messages, pictorial warning symbols that consists various sizes, shapes, and colours. Each colour is standardized and reflects a meaning (see our post of safety signs colours and meanings). On the other hand, there are some types of safety signs which are often in the form of posters and are designed to provide significant information or instructionsto the employees, informing them of their duties and responsibilities. Other signs are designed to be displayed, when the areas are cleaned, displaying a warning that the floor is wet, often temporary and portable in nature.
When you are performing at work or in a place that is prone to accidents or an area identified by your risk assessments, the signs here are needed to guide you as you perform your tasks in the safest way possible.
Regardless of the kind of industry, safety signs are needed in every business. Hospital, construction sites, restaurants, hotels, cafes, bars, etc. are in need of these signs. Employers also need to spend time to familiarize themselves with these laws and other requirements for health and safety, and be sure that they have relevant safety signs. A reputable safety sign company can organise a site survey of your premises to ensure your signage meets current legislation and safety best practice.
Safety is an important issue that can have a huge impact on the business, whether it is big or small, regardless of the industry. Failing to update your signage as your business changes, could lead to extensive fines or have more serious consequences including prison sentences, personal injuries or even loss of life. For traditional businesses, there are various kinds of basic safety signs and symbols that might be required. It is of utmost importance that employees are well-protected from any kind of danger all the time, thus a good range of safety signs are necessary in the business.
For a number of years Stocksigns has been working with the Care industry, developing signage specifically for this sector. One of the features of a care home should be to make residents feel at home rather than institutionalised.
Care home signage must be a balance of functionality and aesthetics. Signs must be designed so residents feel at home, yet give clear information or instruction. A challenge as they need to be created with an understanding of the residents’ capabilities. For example our Dementia signage is designed to help residents process the information as easily as possible. We use shape, colour and real images to communicate the message.
When creating a wayfinding signage scheme, a holistic approach must be adopted. Using consistency throughout the scheme will create familiarity for residents and help enforce the organisation’s brand. For one of our projects with Anchor Homes we worked closely with their design team, to produce aesthetically sympathetic signage, in keeping with the environment of West Hall, Anchor’s flagship property. For wayfinding signage tips, please read our blog post “What Makes a Wayfinding Project Work?“.
On a personal note, Julian Rowlandson, Sales and Marketing Director at Stocksigns said “My parents live in a development similar to Anchor, which has made me very aware of the value residents put in it feeling like home. The work we have done with Anchor helps to do just that” For more information visit our website www.stocksigns.co.uk or contact us at sales@stocksigns.co.uk
The summer months and the holiday season are the ideal time to carry out a signage audit. Your business premises may be quieter, as staff jet off on their well earned breaks, often leaving car parks and buildings temporarily easier to access. Use this time and the increased access to assess your company signage, making sure signs are present, in good condition and correct to the latest legislation.
Also the summer can be a time when there maybe a need to increase security to your grounds or buildings. Building sites and disused quarries can seem attractive places to play, potentially with tragic consequences, so ensuring your boundary safety signs are all in place becomes critical.
Taking Stock of your Safety Signs
Take time to walk around your premises, it may take a couple of trips round if you have a large or complicated building layout. Note all your existing fire and safety signs. Do you have all the necessary signs covered by legislation? Through the course of the year things happen to your building, were signs replaced after that wall got repainted? Were your signs covered up when you had the last office move round? This photograph illustrates a common example. The fire alarm call points in this hotel were relocated during a refit. Unfortunately the sign has not been updated and the fire action notice now marks just a redundant blanking plate. On the flip side, you guessed it, the alarm call points were relocated but they have failed to install the correct fire equipment signage to mark its new location. Many people find that their fire signage is often in the wrong place, check your emergency escape signage is being displayed properly. If you are not sure whether you are completely covered legally get a site survey done to give you peace of mind.
While it isn’t yet a requirement to change all your existing safety signs to the new ISO 7010 versions, the advice is not to mix signage from different legislative standards. Best practice recommends, if changes or additions are needed, updating to the most recent standard.This photo shows a BS 5499 fire exit sign directly mounted next to a sign with symbols from the EEC directive 92/58, which could lead to confusion.
Care of your safety Signs
Safety signs over time can become dirty or damaged and several environmental factors can effect your signs. Signs in areas of high traffic can become dirty quickly. Make sure all signs are clean and clear and can be easily read, and cleaned where needed. If they are illegible and beyond cleaning replace where necessary.
For more information about safety signs or any other signage query please contact our sales team at sales@stocksigns.co.uk
A Guide to COSHH – A Guest post from RoSPA
If you’ve ever had any dealings with any aspect of Health and Safety, the chances are you’ve come across the acronym COSHH or one of the COSHH symbols. However, you may still be uncertain about what COSHH actually stands or what the symbols mean. Don’t worry though, help is at hand with our informative short guide to COSHH.
What does COSSH stand for?
COSHH stands for ‘Control of Substances Hazardous to Health’ and under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002, employers need to either prevent or reduce their workers’ exposure to substances that are hazardous to their health.
What are ‘substances hazardous to health?’
Broadly speaking, substances hazardous to health include any substances that could cause harm to employees, contractors and other people. These hazardous substances can come in many different forms, including:
Chemicals
Fumes
Dusts
Vapours
Mists
Nanotechnology
Gases
Asphyxiating gases
Biological agents
What do the COSHH symbols stand for?
The COSHH symbols are a set of international symbols that allow you to understand the different hazards within your organisation. They have been in use since 1967, with each symbol representing a different type of hazard. In 2009 the symbols were updated to reflect the international nature of hazardous substances.
COSHH Training
COSHH training is designed to safeguard your employees, teaching them to to identify, measure and control the exposure to harmful substances. A COSHH training course should provide you with:
An understanding of how and which substances can harm health
Knowledge and definitions of exposure limits
Skills to understand exposure and to conduct risk assessments
A greater understanding of practical control measures and safe systems of work
The RoSPA Workplace Safety Blog also contains further information on COSHH, as well as other useful posts on all matters relating to occupational health and safety.
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